John Forrest regularly produces large pans of this diminutive gem. How appropriate that under Scottish RGC rules he should be awarded a Forrest medal for the best plant in the show!
Just as desirable as the above and not far behind in calibre! Trillium nivale is never easy to grow to this standard. Large white flowers nestling just above the faultless foliage.
Superlatives continue to flow - how about this! A certificate of merit became a formality for this exceptional offering, also proving you don't have to have a "potful" of bulbs. Just one grown to this standard will do!
Seen in close up here this is a sure fire winner from Turkey for early spring. Broad tubby bells, bright yellow with brown tessellation nestle just above the top dressing.
It's hard work being a show secretary but Lionel Clarkson managed to ensure this beauty performed to perfection on the day. Like all juno Iris, a careful summer rest and (with this one) care with water on the foliage make the effort all worthwhile.
Primula allionii forms and hybrids come and go. Anna Griffith has stood the test of time and is still a must for the collection with pale pink flowers and that "no foliage in sight" habit when grown to perfection.
Another well established hybrid seen here in its' prime, large blue flowers with a white eye. The foliage also blemish free, a point to bear in mind when purchasing Primula hybrids raised from division, some stocks being virused.
A super Asiatic species seen in tip top condition and completing a trilogy of Primulas, this being just a part of a large pan shown by John Richards - you've read the book (I hope) now see one of the plants!
A well established hybrid (S poluniniana x S "Winifred"). Easy going and vigorous, the 12" pan of which only a portion is seen here was smothered with flowers of a particulary appealing deep rose which fade to paler tones.
How's this for a show stopper! Hailing from the Atlas mountains and unlike many of the robust species, utterly desirable. The pink flowers open in succession (sometimes a dozen or more obligingly "on the day" as seen here)nestling in the centre of the tufts of linear foliage.
This little gem caused more than a bit of interest in "new and rare". The type species normally has pale purple spurs but as seen here the robust stubby flowers are creamy white with red purple markings on the crest/keel of the lips.
Another medal (well - card) for your enthusiast!! Erythronium multiscapoideum, Dionysia "Annielle" and Corydalis triternata remained fresh from Loughborough with cool temperatures in the week leading up to the show and they were accompanied by Fritillaria pudica and F. latifolia plus a Corydalis solida "pink seedling" (much admired).
A high alpine resident from New Zealand and raised from seed sown in 1997. Typically large glossy yellow buttercup flowers over equally attractive deep green foliage. This species comes equipped with natural "leafshine".
Judged the best plant in a 19cm pot, a particularly floriferous offering of appeared to me to be a "Penza" selection. With masses of flowers still to open and there were more than enough already there, this may not be the last we've seen of this specimen!
Dionysia freitagii invariably surfaces at this time of the year and this large panful testified to many years of loving care and attention. We must keep the species to the fore in cultivation "lest we forget" where all the hybrids came from!
Another assault upon your alpine senses complete! I make no predictions about the weather now (it remained bitterly cold all week after I announced it was warming up!) There's another visit to (East) Lancashire looming next week, home of Cliff Booker, Alan Grainger and co. - now that's real homely alpine country!
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